President’s office slams reports on NDPP shortlist

President’s office slams reports on NDPP shortlist. “The panel, established by President [Cyril] Ramaphosa, to assist identify and select candidates for consideration is still busy with shortlisting. There is, therefore, no truth to the reports on shortlisted candidates,” Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Khusela Diko said in a statement.

President’s office slams reports on NDPP shortlist. The Presidency on Thursday refuted media reports purporting that certain individuals have been shortlisted as candidates for the position of National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP).

“A public statement will be issued once the shortlisting process has been completed.” Media reports on Thursday suggested that Andrew Chauke, the South Gauteng Director of Public Prosecutions, and Glynnis Breytenbach, a former prosecutor who later joined the Democratic Alliance, are both in the running for the influential position.

Last month, Ramaphosa invited a number of legal organisations and independent public institutions to help him identify and select individuals for consideration as possible candidates for the NDPP position.

The panel, chaired by Energy Minister Jeff Radebe and was requested to identify potential candidates, establish that they meet the required criteria, conduct interviews with potential candidates, and recommend at least three candidates to the president.

While the panel would make recommendations, the Constitution prescribed that ultimately only the president could appoint the NDPP. At the time, Diko said Ramaphosa would make the NDPP appointment after consultation with Justice and Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha.

The organisations invited to provide a representative were the General Council of the Bar of South Africa; the Law Society of South Africa; the Black Lawyers Association; the National Association of Democratic Lawyers; Advocates for Transformation; the Auditor General of South Africa; and the South African Human Rights Commission.

The panel was tasked to complete its work and make recommendations to the president to enable him to meet the deadline set by the Constitutional Court to appoint a new NDPP within 90 court days from August 13.